Meet Tara
Ay, Who I’m Is (#RubberBand[Wo]Man)
Sooooo, you built a group practice! … Now what?!
You’ve hired a team, you’ve got referrals coming in, and on paper, things look solid.
But on the inside?
You’re quietly overwhelmed, wildly under-supported, and frequently wondering when your inside sense-of-boss gets to match up with your on-paper-sense-of-boss (i.e., “will I ever feel like the actual CEO?!”).
Hi! I’m Tara. #InsertDoofyWave #PanRight
My goal here is to help you fix the real shit - the people stuff, the culture stuff (#Swoon), and the “why does this still feel so hard?!" stuff.
I work with group practice owners (mostly in the therapy/dietitian/healing space) who want to build businesses that actually work - not only for their clients and for their teams, but also for their sanity and nervous systems. And there is no shame in wanting (read: needing) a space that works for you in addition to those you serve.
Okay But Who TF Am I, Really?
[Love that you’re asking.]
I’ve been a group practice owner since 2017, a therapist since 2012, and a “but how can we do this better?” kind of person since, I mean, for about as long as I can remember. Any first first answer I arrive at is is rarely the last.
I got my PhD in counseling because I crave depth of thought and understanding - not just with people, but with systems, communication, leadership, and all the tangled stuff under the surface.
Here’s the part that really matters, though:
I’ve built a group practice from scratch. I’ve dealt with the awkward (putting it mildly) therapist-to-leadership-to-visionary identity shifts. I’ve made bad hires (and great ones!). I’ve cried in my own therapy about the weight of the group during especially trying times. I’ve laid on the floor of my office to physically ground during hard leadership discussions and decisions. I’ve felt lonely as fuck while surrounded by people I adore (but can never truly feel the weight of the role I love being in). And I’ve found a way through all of it that doesn’t involve martyrdom or spreadsheets that make your eyes bleed (although let’s be real - a good spreadsheet? #ChefsKiss #GimmeAllTheData).
These days, it’s more common that I’m consulting with group practice owners who are tired of the chaos, ready to grow with intention (and integrity), and low-key afraid they’re doing it all wrong (spoiler: they’re not [double spoiler: you’re not, either]). They just need to find a structure that actually fits them - not the generic “CEO tips” from some dude-bruh who’s never had to navigate emotional labor and a broken fax machine in the same day.
What I Fundamentally Believe (#IFeelItInMyBones)
Look, you don’t know me (yet), but I’m really not into platitudes. Idgaf about some pithy-ass, trite-ass, generic statement about leadership and culture. I’m way more interested in practical wisdom with a strong dash of empathy (and a razzle dazzle dose of imperfection). And here’s how I think about leadership, culture, and people:
Integrity > Optics
Always and forever. If it’s not aligned throughout multiple levels, I’m not doing it. Period. I can’t strongly move forward without feeling aligned.People Before Process
Systems matter (so much). But humans matter (so much) more. I will die on this hill.Transparency is Strategy
I’ll name what others might not - and I’ll do it kindly but clearly. (Also, I can’t not do this, so it’s more a function of an internal need. Ha! #StillAWin)Release the Shame
Burnout, missteps, hiring the wrong person? Been there. Learn from it. Build from it. Process it. Embody a new way of understanding. Voice it, and let the shame wash right fro your system and bones. Easier said that done, but absolutely doable.Structure Will Free You
You don’t need more passion. You need better containers for the passion you already have. I might have a love/hate relationship with this a a concept, but that doesn’t make it any less true or important.
Who I Help (And How)
If you’re a group practice owner who:
Wants to lead like a real CEO but isn’t sure what that even looks like
Is stuck in cleanup mode and craving more ownership from your team
Needs structure (EOS or otherwise) that doesn’t kill the soul or essence of your work
Is trying to fix the vibe, not just the process
Keeps Googling “is it burnout or am I just dramatic?” (spoiler: it’s probably neither)
… then we’re proooooobably a fit (not guaranteed, but lots of roads are pointing to Rome here).
Here’s how I can support you:
Other Random Shit That Might Make You Like Me More (or Dislike Me More…)
I once wanted a farm. I now live and travel full-time in an RV (fifth wheel #IYKYK).
For the record, I still want a farm (and that’s a part of the plan), but we are thoroughly enjoying the full-time RV life [with our three kids and dog], traveling the country, and experiencing random shit in various places. Life is weird. Rich and rewarding, sure, but also weird.I’ll quote TI, Nietzsche, Adam Sandler, and Michael Scott in the same week (or paragraph).
My taste is purely what moves me or lives in my head rent-free. That’s most likely to be an obscure Office reference (#USVersion4Lyfe), but it’s also going to be something silly af or something that makes me cry or just a line from a song I can’t get rid of. #WhoImIs #RubberBandMan #WildAsTheTaliban #StillInMyHeadEvenThoughImAllTheWayDownThePageConflict is sacred.
I will die on this hill. Mess is inevitable. Systems are lifesaving. And conflict enhances intimacy when done well. There are no things in my life I know to be more true than this (excluding my love for my family).My husband and I homeschool my oldest.
Totally due to the lifestyle we live in combo with the lack of skill we have at doing things that most people find easy, such as showing up at the same time to school every day (gawd, I admire teachers and their consistency). That should tell you everything and nothing.I love The Killers.
I love a wide variety of music, but gotdayum if The Killers isn’t always at the top of my list. They are so underrated and under-appreciated. They are impeccable. Sample these bad bois if you have doubts. Golden.
Three of my favorite songs of theirs: Read My Mind, A Dustland Fairytale (about the death of his mother, listen to the lyrics - haunting), and When You Were Young. I’ll stop listing songs here, but only because I recognize I’m getting stuck on how much I love them [read: I could keep going, but will spare you.]I love clarity, courage, and chortling.
And alliterations (hahahahahaha, #ButForReal). I vibe hard with people who show tf up. I’ll do the same, and I’ll add that it’s magical to be in the presence of people who meet me there. I love the gritty, messy, humanness of life, and the processes we all go through to live our best version and make meaning as we evolve. Brings me to tears when I give it the time and space in my head that it deserves. People are incredible.
Where to Go From Here
If anything you just read made your brain or heart go “YESSSSS,” here’s some next options for you:
👉 Join my list for weekly-ish insights, resources, and whatever hot mess I’m working through
🎧 Listen to the podcast (Culture Focused Practice)
🔎 Explore consulting options and get real support